Gyros! #socs

I’m going to focus on “wrap” because it gives me the opportunity to talk about one of my favorite wraps, gyros (YEE-ros). If you don’t know what a gyros is (the word gyros is singular, by the way), I feel badly for you, because you don’t know what you’re missing.

I had my first gyros when I was in college. A friend of mine was really into them, and talked me into going with him to get one. It’s a wrap made out of pita bread, on which they pile meat (a combination of beef and lamb) sliced off of a large spit, sliced onions, a couple of diced or wedges of tomato, and tzatziki (yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic, salt, olive oil and a few other ingredients), which is then wrapped and held together with aluminum foil. I was a little wary of the tzatziki, but I learned it adds to the taste and the fun.

Well, I was hooked. Sometimes in the late evenings (i.e. 10 PM or later) I and a bunch of friends from the dorm would run across the street to a place that sold hot dogs, hamburgers, tamales, French fries, and gyros. I’d always get a gyros, fries and some soft drink, and gradually got a few of those guys to try them. They’re particularly tasty at bedtime.

Gyros are real popular in Chicago. Most of the small hamburger joints serve them now, and they’re always my favorite. No matter the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood, they’ve turned out to be best sellers. When we moved to Atlanta, I had the hardest time finding a place that served them. There’s a chain of food court places called Gyro Wrap that do a pretty good gyros, although they use lettuce instead of onions. Oh well, you can’t have everything…

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is brought to you each week by Linda Hill and this station. Now a word about the AMC Pacer. It’s everything a small car never was!

I love them John. I’ve heard people pronounce them three different ways… gyro as “Jiiiro” and gyro as Guyro…and of course gyro as yearo which I believe is correct… and yes I love them…I found them around the same age as you were.

The AMC Pacer was like a rolling fish aquarium but at least they looked different…now you can’t tell one car from another…unless it’s a Mini or a Jeep. They were so ugly…but I have to say…I would love to drive one down the street just to see peoples faces.

I was referring to the reaction of people seeing an AMC Gremlin (or Pacer, for that matter) driving down the street almost 40 years after they stopped being made, but your interpretation is pretty good, too… 😉

My brother had one of those that he bought from the guy next door. He’d buy oil by the case because it would go through it that fast, and the car pretty well rusted through by the time he got rid of it. I doubt the one you saw was the same one…

I had my first gyros at Old Chicago back in 1976 shortly after the attraction had opened. I was immediately sold on the wrap, but they were difficult to find elsewhere and it was several years before I had another. When I was working here in CA there was a drive-in next to my office that had what was probably the best gyros I’ve had. Sadly, about the time my office was closed, the restaurant closed as well. There are still a lot of place to get gyros around here. I had one just a few weeks ago in fact.

I had my first one at a street fair. It was really easy to walk and eat at the same time and not much mess. Love the yogurt and cucumber sauce. I also had a Gremlin. I loved it. It was my first new car purchase and I did it all by myself 🙂 I called it “Bullet” because it was silver and part of me wishes I still had it! Happy Saturday, John.

I love gyros too, but I also love “Wraps” which are made from a very slim pancake filled then with ham and cheese or only cheese, chicken etc. rolled up and looks like a sausage, the buritos are also similar.

Thank you, John, now I’m hungry – way to wrap up the prompt in a scrumptious way! Gyros and french fries are particularly tasty before bed-time. The next morning taste in the mouth, not so grand. Hasn’t stopped me yet! 😉

Yes, I had my first gyros (and Greek food generally) in Chicago. Great stuff! Still love them! Out here, there’s a place in Huntington Beach called The Olive Pit that has yummy Greek food. I often get the moussaka there though…

Greek Town in Chicago was kind of seedy when I lived there, but that whole area has changed and it’s one of the better neighborhoods now. I worked in the west Loop, and it was a relatively short (5 blocks) walk, so we’d go over there for lunch sometimes.